


Union

by IfOnlyNow



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Romance, Sexual Content, capriss2k16
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 15:56:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8997319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IfOnlyNow/pseuds/IfOnlyNow
Summary: Kallias finds himself powerless.
(Or: Five times Kallias didn't know this is what falling in love feels like.)





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [desastrista](https://archiveofourown.org/users/desastrista/gifts).



> This is for Desa for Captive Prince Secret Santa 2016. Happy holidays!

When Kallias was six, he knew how it felt to be powerless.

He never knew his birthparents and instead grew up moving within the foster care system, one after another until they blended into one grey dream. Sometimes he’d call his foster parents someone’s name from two houses ago, sometimes he’d look for a toy another kid stole from him from the first house he remembered.

Kallias didn’t want to go to another foster home. He wasn’t cute enough and he wasn’t sweet enough, but Social Services didn’t seem to think that. Or at least that’s what Mr. A said whenever he brought it up. Kallias didn’t believe him.

And against his wish, he was sent to another home. Against his wish, he cried the hardest he’d ever did.

“’iz okay.”

Kallias blinked hard, it was hard to see through the blurriness but he saw the shape of a boy his height. He wiped his damp sleeves against his eyes and felt his cheeks redden. “I – I’m,” he said.

“D’you wanna hug?” the brown haired boy asked, squeezing a stuffed lion. Kallias nodded.

When the other boy hugged him, Kallias felt powerless. But it wasn’t like hoping to not go to a new foster home and having to go anyways.

\- - -

When Kallias was eight, he knew how it felt to be powerless.

The boy, Erasmus he had learned – has said so many times it was hard to remember a time when he didn’t know it – touched his sleeve. “Uhm, I think they came out okay this time if you wanna – uh, want to – try them?”

Erasmus had been doing his best to speak better. He still said things quietly, but he took apart his words, made sure he said each one clearly because other kids bullied him about it. Kallias thought the way Erasmus spoke was just fine.

He looked over at the plate of cookies on Erasmus’ lap. They weren’t fresh out of the oven, that’d be asking for it with the two other kids running around the small house. He wasn’t sure how Erasmus hid it from them.

Kallias reached over and lifted the foil from the plate. The cookies were dark brown, nearly black on some of the edges, and none of them dried flat. They were bent at weird angles and there were a few shaped almost like a ‘v’ between two other cookies. Erasmus must have taken them out and hid them straight away.

“Oh,” his friend said. “They dinnit look like that when I…”

Flushing, Erasmus moved to cover them back up but Kallias reached out and took a cookie. Munching thoughtfully, Kallias felt his friend watch him.

When Kallias finished he asked, “Is it ok if I have another one?”

The cookies weren’t good. Their redeeming factor was that they weren’t completely burnt.

But when Erasmus looked down with a shy smile and moved the cookies closer to him, Kallias thought there was no way he wasn’t going to eat the whole plate.

\- - -

When Kallias was nine, he knew how it felt to be powerless.

“I want to stay here with Erasmus,” Kallias said, holding on to his friend’s hand. The brunette boy nodded and stood by his side and only shook a little bit.

“Oh, well,” their caretaker said, blinking owisly at them over his glasses. “I thought Tom Clancy was as exciting as my night was going to get.” He put his book on the nightstand and sat up straighter.

“We didn’t want to tell you over dinner.” _Because of the other kids._

Their caretaker smiled at them. “I appreciate that. But as for your…,” he trailed off and reached into the nightstand’s drawer, pulling out a long, bulging white envelope and taped it against the flat of his palm. “This was something I wanted to talk to both of you about. I know you don’t want to be separated from each other -," Both of them shook their head. “- so I looked into adoption.”

Kallias’ heart leapt into his throat. He felt Erasmus shake harder and when he turned to look, he’d never seen him smile so big.

“But,”

Kallias’ heart stopped.

Their caretaker sighed. “But it’s not up to me. I don’t want to get both of your hopes up. If you want to live here, together, with me, then I’ll sign the papers. But there’s a lot of hoops to jump through, and I don’t know what they’re going to say about adopting both of you.”

Kallias felt Erasmus clutch his hand.

“So you both want to be adopted?”

They nodded.

“Alright, then. I’ll sign the papers and do my best. But it’s out of our hands after that, so we’ll just have to see how it goes, okay?”

They nodded again. Kallias thought their caretaker sounded real casual talking about mysterious people who could rip their lives apart. They mumbled thank you’s and good night’s and left hand in hand to their room.

\- -

(A little over a year later, when they got the letter that said yes, Erasmus and Kallias could both be adopted, Kallias felt like his body was going to burst, like it was filled with sunshine. “And it says here we can keep our own last names if we want,” Kallias said. Erasmus was blinking hard, and when Kallias turned the letter to show him, he began to cry.

“It’s okay,” Kallias said and touched his friend’s arm. Erasmus sobbed into his elbow and hid his face away.

Kallias smiled and stroked his friend’s hair. “Do you want a hug?”

Erasmus nodded into his elbow.

Kallias wrapped his arms around his friend’s shoulder and drew him closer, closer, not close enough. He wanted to pour his sunshine into Erasmus and wanted Erasmus to pour his rainstorm into him.

“I’m,” Erasmus hiccupped, “I’m so happy.” Erasmus threw his arms around Kallias.

Kallias smiled and when his friend finally looked up, he rubbed his cheek against his.)

\- - -

When Kallias was seventeen, he knew how it felt to be powerless.

“He’s got a voice like an angel…”

Kallias sighed and tried not to glare at the other boy, but it was hard to blame him when it was true. 

“Have you seen him dance? Oh my God, he can go from ‘Invite me to dinner’ to ‘Have me for dessert’ in nothing flat – oh shit…”

He had been told he gave the scariest looks. It’s not something he intentionally knew he did, but sometimes stupidity needed to be stared down. And Kallias found there was almost nothing stupider than horny guys.

A large round of applause pulled Kallias’ attention and when he turned, he saw the brown haired singer bow and leave the stage. Kallias pulled away from the wings and walked down the steps to the backstage.

“… a lot better, but it sounds like you’re still trying to find your sound,” said a deep voice that he vaguely recognized.

“Oh, well, I… I’ve been experimenting with different ranges and styles, but…”

Erasmus. Kallias could pick it out of their whole school. He’d never tell him, but he imagined he could pick it out of the whole world.

“Do you want help?”

Kallias turned the corner and there, near the wall was the sandy mop of his friend’s head peaking over the shoulder of a tall man. _A student_ , Kallias thought, as he looked at his matching uniform.

“Oh, uhm…”

“Erasmus!”

Both heads perked up and turned to look at him. “Kallias,” Erasmus said and moved towards him for a hug, but dropped his arms when he noticed the other student staring. Their religious performing arts school had obscure rules.

Kallias touched Erasmus’ arms and pressed his cheek against his as he had done since that day years ago. There was a soft gasp from the other student and Erasmus flushed, but he never stopped Kallias from touching him like this.

“You did amazing on your final performance,” Kallias said.

Erasmus smiled and his gaze turned shyly to the floor as he responded, but the other student interrupted. “Let me know if you want help, Erasmus. Anytime, I mean it,” he said and let his hand touch the length of his arm as he turned and left.

Kallias watched him go, then turned his attention to his friend, who only reddened under the scrutiny.

“Do you like him?” he asked.

Erasmus sputtered, “What? No. He just offered to help me.” Kallias looked at him.

Erasmus said, “Really! He’s the top of the senior class. He’s one of our best singers.”

Kallias nearly rolled his eyes, but Erasmus seemed touched by the student’s offer and he wouldn’t throw his friend’s happiness back at his face. “So, late night study sessions with the senior, then?”

“Maybe, but just the singing kind.”

Kallias laughed and pulled Erasmus closer. They talked about a lot of things, but he found it hard to focus with a dull throb in his chest. Several teachers told him that despite his age, he was the best singer at their school, but Erasmus never asked for his help.

\- - -

Years later, after Kallias had found out Erasmus never asked him because he felt he was being a bigger burden on him, and after Kallias explained to him that he wanted to help Erasmus and always thought he was amazing, and after they started practicing together and graduated with honors and moved to the city, Kallias slowly woke and brushed away a strand of brown hair from a sleeping face.

“Kallias, it’s early,” Erasmus said into the pillow.

Kallias smiled and moved closer to nip at his ear. “Good morning to you, too, love.”

Erasmus gurgled.

Or maybe he said something. It was hard for Kallias to tell when he smushed his face into the pillow like that. “What was that?”

Erasmus lifted his head up, but Kallias could only see his blush through the curtain of his hair. “I said I’m probably still open from last night.”

Kallias wasn’t thinking about that, but now that he was it was a very good idea. He moved his leg over Erasmus’ thigh, straddling his back underneath the covers. Kallias shifted and his dick nudged against the cleft of his ass.

“You’re already this hard,” Erasmus said.

“Mhm,” Kallias said and kissed Erasmus’ neck. Erasmus always had a scent that lingered on him that Kallias couldn’t place as anything other than him. He pressed his lips at the juncture of Erasmus’ neck and shoulder, where he could smell it the most, and moved up to nip at his earlobe.

Kallias’ left hand trailed up Erasmus’ side, then down his arm. He gripped the other’s hand and heard the small clink of metal. Kallias said, “Hard not to be when my husband looks like he does.”

“Kallias,” Erasmus said and stuffed his face back into the pillow.

He smiled and moved against Erasmus. It was gentle and slow until it wasn’t anymore. Erasmus gripped their headboard with his other hand, panting as he moved back against Kallias. “Please,” Erasmus groaned.

Kallias made a noise and moved Erasmus’ thighs apart, opening him more. Erasmus mewled and shook apart, and after a few thrusts Kallias followed him.

When their heartbeats returned, he kissed Erasmus on the cheek and turned to move off the bed. “I’ll get the coffee started,” he said, but stopped when his husband held his arm and pulled him back to the bed. He was tugged closer and closer until Erasmus wound himself around him.

“Stay a bit longer,” Erasmus said.

And Kallias was powerless to resist.


End file.
